A MOTHER from Melksham has shared her teenage daughter’s extraordinary journey of receiving a heart transplant to encourage more people to consider organ donation. In a show of support, last month the Town Hall was lit up in pink as part of the national campaign to raise awareness.
Carlie Robson’s 15-year-old daughter, Ciara Cottle, was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy earlier this year, a condition in which the heart becomes enlarged and struggles to pump blood effectively. Following the diagnosis, Ciara was placed on life support and into an induced coma. She faced several complications during her hospital stay, including two cardiac arrests—one of which required 45 minutes of CPR.
Ciara underwent multiple surgeries and treatments at Bristol Children’s Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital, culminating in a heart transplant in July. Carlie said, “Never did I
imagine my daughter would need a heart transplant at such a young age. This experience has truly opened my eyes to the importance of organ donation. If Ciara’s donor hadn’t been on the organ donation list, she wouldn’t be here today. The donor didn’t just give Ciara her life back; they saved my family from unimaginable loss. I can never thank them or their family enough.”
To raise awareness of organ donation and honour Ciara’s journey, Carlie reached out to Paul Weymouth of Light Fantastic to have the Town Hall lit up in pink for Organ Donation Week. Mayor Tom Price said, “It’s wonderful to show our support as a town by lighting up the Town Hall pink for Organ Donation Week. Ciara’s story is both desperately sad and wholly uplifting. To see someone of her age battle through so many difficult
complications is inspiring for everyone. I, and the council, wish her a speedy recovery.”
Ciara is currently recovering well and is back at Bristol Children’s Hospital undergoing neuro-rehabilitation physiotherapy to regain essential functions she lost during her hospitalisation, such as walking. “The support we’ve had from people around us, and from Melksham in particular—I have no words,” Carlie said. “I don’t think we would have got through it without the support we’ve had. Ciara is an amazing young lady and is loved by so many. I couldn’t imagine living my life without her.Since going through this horrendous ordeal, I am now an organ donor and hope that one day I can help a family in need and save their loved one.”
Anyone can sign up for organ donation through the NHS Organ Donor Register. In England, the law now operates on an opt-out system, but it’s still vital to discuss your decision with relatives to ensure your wishes are respected. For more information, visit https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision/.
